Half a Man
by The Idiotic Oracle
Summary: 5 years after the battle in the Water Temple, Link is still searching for the missing part of the soul that left him. When he meets a man who looks like his shadow, Link's hopes rise again. Warning: It has an OC, but there is no love involving him.
1. Prolouge

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything Zelda related, except for the discs and game cartridges I bought at the stores. C: The only thing I do own in the fic is my OC.**

**Warning: This story is slightly AU. Aside from the flashback, the story takes place after the events of OoT, without Zelda having sent Link back in time seven years to grow up again. Basically, Link is still in the same time frame in which he killed Ganon.**

It had been years since that day. I was never very good at counting how many years old I was, as I didn't have a birthday, but the Princess had guessed I must have been twenty-two the last time I saw her. I visit her at the newly built Hyrule Castle now and then. She keeps offering to make me a knight, but the thought of everyone calling me "Sir Link" makes me feel a little sick to my stomach. Nevertheless, it must have been at least five years since my quest as the Hero of Time. Five years since that battle in the Water Temple that changed me so much…

_I am so sick of this temple! Water, water, and more water! That's all it is! I mean, I go through all these rooms and battles just to change the water level to get into ONE room, to find that that room only leads to a place to make the water level go back to how it was in the first place! It doesn't help that Navi nags about everything and won't shut up. "Oh, you should go that way!" "This door is locked, you need a key!" "Hey! Listen!" My head hurts._

_Finally, I reach a door I had found earlier, but didn't have the key to. I had climbed all the way up this stupid waterfall just to discover a locked door and I had no keys. So I had to scour the temple for one more danged key. Well, now I'm here again. My map indicates there's a large room on the other side of the door, followed by a tinier room, whilst my compass says that there's a treasure chest in the smaller room. I break the pots near the door and capture the fairies inside, 'cause I have this feeling something is in there waiting for me…_

_I unlock the door and step inside. I sniffle and rub my arms. It's even chillier in here than the rest of the temple! I'm already catching a cold from walking around wet in a damp, cold place, and now I'm in what looks like a misty, shallow lake. Up ahead, I see a lump of ground sticking up from under the water with a dead tree jutting out of it, and beyond that is a door. I wait, but nothing happens. Nothing attacks me, no monsters pop out… It was just silent. If it weren't so cold, this place could be very pretty and serene. I sigh, hug my arms to keep myself warm, and begin to shuffle over to the other side of the room. I glance down to see my perfect reflection in the crystal water. I look a mess._

_As I pass by the tree, my shoulder brushes it. Then all of a sudden, I feel cold and empty. Not the kind of cold I had felt before, but a bitter chill, like a ghost had passed through me. I feel like something is missing.. something important… I become a little lightheaded for a second, then I recover, but the empty feeling in me does not vanish. I shiver, deciding to keep going. I step off the little island, and continue my trek. As I walk, I glance down again. But.. my reflection is gone!! I freeze and stare down at the water, bewildered, until Navi screams something in my ear. "The door.. there's bars on it, it's locked!" She just kept getting louder. My ears were ringing. "Link!! Turn around, there's something here!!" I do as she says, and turn around. I nearly gasp, seeing somebody had suddenly appeared on the island. Although the room is brightly lit from an unseen source, he looks as though he's covered in shadows. The only clear feature I can make out on his face were these horrible, red, gleaming eyes. He doesn't move, and I don't move. Nothing happens. My teeth chattering, I inched closer, and he mimicked me. I stop, and he stops too. I stare at him, and then I notice something. He's wearing a tunic, a funny floppy kokiri hat, and he carries his sword and shield on his back.. This man, whoever he is, was.. just like me! As we step closer to one another, some of the darkness around him dissolves a little. His skin was pure white and translucent. His face was shaped the same as mine, and he had the same nose and hairstyle. By 'style', I mean his hair was a mess that framed his face. Only, his hair was black. His tunic, though the same design as mine, was also black, as was the hilt of his version of my master sword. But the biggest difference between us was those eyes…_

_Navi quickly flies in front of me, and I nearly fall back, startled by her sudden appearance. She yells something along the lines of "Link, it's your shadow, Dark Link! You've got to fight yourself, you are your worst enemy!" I decide not to try and figure out what that means, but I know I need to fight. I draw my sword, and 'Dark Link' does the same. I begin to circle him, but he circles too, so we were both just walking in a big circle. Now I make my move. I jump at him, but then he jumps with me! Our swords clash and we smack into one another. We both get knocked back a few feet. I pause, and of course, he does as well. _

_Ok, so, everything I do, he copies. But it would be hard to block a stab, and he didn't have fairies and Lon Lon milk to heal him when he gets hurt, so I can take the risk.. I quickly thrust my sword forward. I expected him to do the same, so or swords would glance past each other and stab us both, but instead, he jumps up and.. stands on my blade! I don't even now how that's possible, but then he slashes at me and I fall back. He jumps away to wait for my next move. Obviously, he was smarter than I thought._

_Navi is yelling things as usual, but I don't pay attention. I have a new plan. I run at him and start swinging wildly, and he does too. Our simultaneous swings just keep bouncing off the other's sword, until after a wide swing, I quickly slash at him before he has time to react. _

_At last, I hit him! He grunts and falls back, right into the water. Yet, he doesn't stop at the ground, he just keeps going like he was just a simple reflection… Then I hear something behind me, and turn around to see him standing there, ready for the next round. Seeing what just happened, I hesitate think. He turned into a reflection in the water, and then appeared behind me… and I was also missing my reflection, and it appeared I didn't have a shadow either. That empty feeling I've had since I stepped foot on that island.. was my shadow, my darkness, leaving my body to become a separate being! Perhaps Ganondorf had put some kind of separation spell on that island or something, I have no idea, but that's a part of my own soul I'm fighting. I bit my lip, unsure of how to react. So, instead, I fight again._

_This round went pretty much the same as the first. I hurt him, and he falls through the ground and appears behind me once again. How many times will I have to hit him? I keep at it, and every now and then, he uses my tactic and hits me before I can hit him. After a few minutes, I was down a whole bottle of milk, but I still had two fairies. Then finally, I slash at him one more time, and he lets out a scream of pain and falls to the floor.. and vanishes for the last time. Panting and bleeding, I stare at the spot he had just been at. I expected that my darkness would come back to me, and that empty feeling would go away. I look down, seeing my reflection had returned to me. Yet, it seems somewhat.. blurry. But that's probably my imagination coupled with the rippling of the water. Then, the water vanishes, as the does the mist and the island. I'm standing in a room like every other room in this temple. It was an illusion, a mirage… I turn around, just as the bars blocking the way into the treasure chest room withdraw. I step inside and receive my prize, a hook shot with a longer chain. I pocket the long shot, and reenter the 'Room of Illusion' and continue my journey to the temple boss and free the sage of water. Yet, something is wrong. I still feel… empty. As if my darkness didn't really return, even though I'm casting a shadow and I had seen my reflection. Perhaps, while the physical evidence was back, maybe that piece of my soul has gone.. missing. I shudder; ignoring whatever Navi is talking about, and walk through the door, leaving that room forever._

Although it has been so long, I still feel that strange, disturbing feeling that a piece of my soul had been wrenched from me. Ever since then, I've been looking for him. I refuse to believe I killed him that day. After all, he was my darkness, my shadow… you can't destroy something like that, can you? I have this feeling that he's out there, somewhere, perhaps waiting for me. I'm determined to find him. All I want is for my mind and soul to be whole again, for me to no longer be just half a man...

**Well, that was the first chapter! Yeah, it was mostly a flash back, but it was important and set the stage. I guess you could call it a prologue. Please review what you think! Oh yeah, and I have a poll! Since this story is AU, should Navi still be hanging around? She could be comic relief I guess…**


	2. 1: THE FACE

**AN: You people asked for it, so here it is! The REAL first chapter! The chapter where we meet… my original character. I know, I know, some of you are thinking "OHGAWD, AN OC! It's gonna be a Gary Stuuuuu! Click outta here! " But wait! There's more than meets the eyes. I promise, promise; PROMISE you that he is absolutely not a Gary Stu. Gary Stus require romance anyways, and this fic is not a romance fic. : So there.**

**DISCLAIMAH: I do not own the rights to Zelda; it is all Nintendo and the Master Of The Universe, Shigeru Miyamoto. I love you, man. I really do.**

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_**Half A Man – Chapter One**_

THE FACE

My ass hurts. Sitting on a galloping horse all day was not a good idea. I had visited Lon Lon Ranch today, to visit Malon and Talon - and Epona of course. Malon told me Epona had gotten really finicky lately, and was becoming moody. She guessed it was because I hadn't ridden her and let her stretch her legs on Hyrule Field for about a month. Honestly, that horse was like a middle aged wife. So, I did as should have done more often and gave her a good exercise, from the water's edge of Hyrule Lake, to the dusty fortress of the Gerudo.

As usual, the Gerudo women flirted with me as I made my way to the archery range to gets some target practice, and more exercise for my Epona. With Ganondorf gone, the Gerudo had become much nicer to the other citizens of Hyrule, and the Princess welcomed them into her kingdom with open arms (although with some prodding from me). The Gerudo were really nice girls once you got to know them. They never approved of the Evil King's treacherous goals, but he was their leader. The girls flirted with every cute boy they saw, as they once again needed to reproduce more, to guarantee a future leader. I guess that means I'm cute, or they've just grown fond of me.

As I rode from the Gerudo Valley back to Lon Lon Ranch, Navi told me I should visit the princess soon. I agreed, dropped off Epona, and walked to the Castle Town just before sunset. I rented an inn and made a mental note to remind me to go to the castle in the morning. Now here I am, lying on a beaten feather mattress, with my ass as sore as a two-legged tektite. I take off my floppy green hat and tunic, which I refuse to get rid of still, and fold my hat into a sort of makeshift bed for Navi on the second pillow on my cot. "Goodnight." She says in an uncharacteristically soft voice. I smile, crawl under the covers and fall asleep.

In the morning, I awake to find that one of the innkeepers had washed my tunic in my sleep, and folded it nicely at the foot of my bed. It was pretty thoughtful of them, but they probably thought it was a total honor to house the 'Hero of Time' and wash his clothes. Smiling, I put my lavender-smelling tunic on and nudge Navi awake with my index and middle finger. "Wake up, Naggy" I say to her, using my rude- yet affectionate! – pet name for her. Grumbling, she stretches her wings, then takes flight to circle my head as I put on my hat.

Stepping out of the Inn, I walk right into the crowded cobblestone streets of the Castle Town Market. The hustle bustle and many voices meet my ears and I take a deep breath. I love people, even if they can be rude or evil. I walk out towards the fountain, then stand blankly for a minute, trying to remember what it is I'm supposed to be doing. Navi bops me on the head and yells "Imbecile! You're supposed to go see Zelda! She probably misses you!" I pretend to swat her away, nodding. Taking of my hat, I rub my head where she hit me, looking down into the fountain's water to look for a bump or bruise.

Was that…?!

I quickly turn around, looking to see the person who cast that reflection in the water, but he had already disappeared among the crowd. I could have sworn it, though. A flash of red, that hair so unnaturally black… Shaking my head, I decide I imagined it. Too much time spent searching for him has left me seeing things. I really need to see the Princess. I splash some water on my face, shove my hat back on my head, and set out towards the castle.

Almost as soon as I get there, the guards salute me and immediately open the gate for me to go through. Another soldier appears from the tiny room behind the gate to escort me to the Princess. Despite having gone there multiple times, I get lost so easily in the huge building. Zelda knows that, of course, and probably tells the soldiers to help me if I ever arrive. Leading me up the path, over the drawbridge, and to grandmother's hou- I mean, through the masterfully carved marble corridors, the soldier finally reaches the door to the Throne Room. Thanking him, I step inside.

Zelda looks up from a scroll as soon as she hears the doors creak. Smiling warmly to each other, we both quickly stride to the middle of the room and give each other a friendly, childish hug. Then we remember she's a 'graceful princess' and I'm a 'courageous hero' and we separate. I bend down, kissing her hand. She chuckles, saying quietly "You don't need to be so formal around me, Link, you're not a knight. As, of course, you know." I smile sheepishly, replying "Sorry, I just thought it'd be proper."

We walk back to her throne and she sits, rolling up the scroll she had been reading. It was probably a law she was revising. "So, Link, how has your journey been?" She asks curiously. "Well," I start, "Searching the Water Temple again was… unsuccessful." She got a concerned look on her face, so my expression must look pretty disappointed. "The Room of Illusion is still exactly the same as when I defeated him. Illusion less." Sighing, I lean against the side of her throne. In the moment of silence, I think 'Navi's been awfully quiet today. Guess she's finally starting to learn when to shut up.' I look back at the Princess, who's concerned face turned to an expression that clearly read 'I'm so sorry, I wish I could help'. That look of pity made me feel sick…

"Zelda, I really did think I'd at least find a sign there. Even if it was a torn piece of his tunic." "What good would that do?!" Navi suddenly snaps. I glare at her, then reply "The Princess could use it to divine his location. Like a magic bloodhound." The princess giggled at my simile before adding "Although it'd be easier with something like a hair or blood. Too bad you couldn't find anything, though."

At that moment, a man wearing noble looking robes walked in. I guess he's someone important, but I have no idea what. "Princess!" He starts, but then looks at me. "Hero of Time, hello." He says with a polite smile, before turning back to the princess. "The council is ready for this week's meeting." The princess jokingly rolls her eyes and says sarcastically "Oh, not them again." She stands up, brushes off her skirt, straightens her tiara, and walks down the carpeted path in the center of the room towards the old man. Turning back to me, she waves and says. "See you again soon Link. And I really mean soon this time, no more putting off visiting me." I wave back as she leaves, a little disappointed at the shortness of our meeting. The young Soldier jogs up to me, speaking nervously. "Ready to go, Hero of Time, sir?" Laughing, I nod, and he leads me out of the castle.

As I walk away from the gate, Navi bops me on the head again. "She likes you, you know." I sigh and nod. A guilty smile sneaks onto my face. "Yeah, Navi, I know."

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**Bahahahahahaha! I know what you're thinking. "That wasn't a REAL introduction of your OC!" And… uh… you're right! It was only a, what, two second glimpse of his watery, distorted reflection? I'm so cheap. But he will definitely appear, have lines, and be important in the next chapter, seriously. Read and Review, PUH-LEEZE.**


	3. 2: THE MISTAKE

Hey guys, sorry about the lack of updates. School has been hell. WAAAAY too much homework. : But hey look! It's chapter two! Believe me, this fic and my viewers have been constantly on my mind ever since school started, and I feel really guilty for not updating sooner. I promise I won't take this long on chapter three!

Oh yeah, and at last, my OC will make his REAL appearance! Tally-Ho!

**DISCLAIMER: Aside from my LTTP SNES cartridge, OOC and MM N64 cartridges, Ages/Seasons GB cartridges, Minish Cap, LTTP/Four Swords GBA cartridges, and Collector's Edition, Windwaker, and Twilight Princess GC disks, I do not own anything directly related to The Legend Of Zelda, like Link or Zelda or Navi or the weird guy begging for you to buy items. I do, however, own an OC in this fic.**

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Chapter Two THE MISTAKE 

As I walk slowly back into town, I realize how tired I am. It's still not even noon, but I'm still tired. I was always tired these days. Whether it was physical exhaustion or mental, I was always tired. I didn't get to spend as much time with Zelda as I had hoped. She was one of my few true friends, and frankly, I am just sick of being alone with Navi all the time. That, and if I had been able to spend more time with the princess, she may have had some sort of Epiphany to help me out…

But damn politics got in the way again. I knew it wasn't the princess' fault, that she had a country to take care of, that she was the only one who could keep the country in order, but… She was always too busy for me. I need someone to talk to. Someone hylian, at least.

Navi had been jabbering away about something ever since we entered the town, and all I'm hearing is an annoying buzzing in my left ear. Navi always had my best interest in mind, always cared about my well-being and my feelings but.. she was smothering. That, and I admitted her voice made you want to strangle cute, fuzzy animals. She was a good friend, and I appreciate her, but she was ALWAYS AROUND. I feel I need someone new to talk to, to end this endless, ear-splitting monotony, this –

I stumble, having tripped over someone else's foot. I hadn't been paying attention, and the crowd was so thick that I couldn't dodge him. Very un-hero like, I fall over, turning in mid air to land on my rump.

"Owch! Heh, whups.. sorry…" I say, sitting up to look up at the man. The morning sun was shining behind him, making him only a black silhouette whose details were obscured.

"No, my apologies, I was not being careful enough." The man's hylian is formal sounding and not quite fluent. Offering me a hand, the man wished to help me up, but I refuse. "It's alright, I'm fine, go on." I say, hoisting myself back up.

Standing up causes the man to no longer be blacked out against the light of the sun, and I just manage to catch a glimpse of his face just before he turns to disappear into the crowd. A smile, and..

Blood red eyes.

I gape in disbelief as I stare at the man's back. Now I could also see the hair. Black, sleek hair. _'Just like his.'_ I think suddenly to myself. "W-wait!!" A sudden surge of adrenaline rushing through me, I run after the stranger, grabbing his shoulder to forcefully turn him around. "Shadow!!" I yell, still in shock, hoping beyond hope to find what I want.

The man stares back at me, somewhat fearfully. His eyes are indeed that blood red, and his hair the perfect ebony, and his skin a pure milky white, but… my shadow is supposed to be a perfect dark copy of the Hero, and this man… Whereas my nose slightly turns up, the stranger's is straight. His face is also less round than mine, and the ears – though pointed – are much smaller than the average hylian's. He's also a completely different build, incredibly slender but just a few inches taller than me.

"M-May I help you, s-sir..?" He asks, unsure of what was going on. "A shadow, sir?" He asks also, perhaps fearing for the hero's sanity.

I just stare, and then let go of the man with a sigh. "I'm- Goddesses, I'm really sorry. I just thought… you were someone I was looking for… I'm sorry, I'll leave you alone." About to turn and leave, this time it was the pale stranger's turn to stop me.

"But wait… Are you not the Hero of Time?" Quickly turning around, I stare at the man. "Y-Yes, why?" I answer, hoping I'm not going to be mobbed for my autograph or something silly like that.

"It's quite an honor to meet you." The man says calmly, bowing low. "I never thought I'd meet the savior of Hyrule face to face." I'm a little surprised; the hylians I normally bump into aren't nearly this polite.

"My name is Anaximander. May I invite you to my home for lunch? I'd be honored to have you over, and perhaps hear why you thought I was someone I am not." Anaximander smiles, hoping his offer will be taken.

Still a little surprised, I nod. "Sure, I didn't have any food plans, so that sounds great." I smile in return, and my new acquaintance motions for me to follow down a side street. Now away from the crowd, I notice that the man's clothes are quite... different. The shirt is long, almost to his knees, and a belt is loosely buckled over it. His pants are plain, grey, and baggy, tucked into his leather boots. The patterns on his shirt, however, are vibrant and intricate. Squares and ovals, overlapping with triangles and diamonds, all in shades of indigo, blue, and maroon, with a gold stripe here or there, and a gold fringe. It seems almost tunic like, the way he wears it, but not. It was definitely not made in Hyrule.

"Here we are." Anaximander's soft, calm voice says when we arrive at a small home. Opening the door for me, he bows again. Trying not to let these formalities embarrass me, I quickly step inside. The home is rather cozy and standard, except for the tapestries and tablecloths and blankets. They're all decorated similarly to the man's strange clothes, only in slightly different patterns and colors.

"It's nice!" I exclaim, surprised yet again. "Yes, a little taste of my old home." The man replies warmly, stepping inside. "No shops in Hyrule sell Nanmuan goods, so this is all I have to remind me of my country."

Turning to look at Anaximander, it dawns on me. "Ohhh, you must be foreign!" The moment I said that, Navi bopped me on the head. She had been silent for a long time, but now she was loud and bossy as ever. "You idiot! Of course he is! He has an accent, and he doesn't look hylian! And you've only just now realized this?!"

I already felt embarrassed, but now Navi just made it worse. "Settle down, you two." Anaximander says calmly, a complete contrast to Navi's spastic demeanor. "And yes, I am foreign. I came to Hyrule with my parents as a small child, from the country of Nanmua. We arrived shortly before the evil king took control." Anaximander smiled sheepishly. "We had come here to escape a civil war in our country, hearing that Hyrule was much more peaceful. I guess we were just unlucky."

Now calm and attentive, Navi became curious. "Nanmua? Where is that? I've never known about the outside countries." I listened too, and sit down immediately when the foreigner motions to dining table. "You likely haven't, there are few foreigners here, I have noticed." Sitting across the fairy and I, Anaximander continues. "My country lies on the other side of your 'Death Mountain'. I was quite surprised by the name it had in Hyrule. In Nanmua, we called it… ah.. 'Friendly Mountain' in your language. It was because the volcano's lava never poured in our direction, and the inhabitants of the mountain were always so kind on the few occasions they'd visit our side."

Both Navi and I are surprised, and we look at each other is near disbelief. But, of course, other countries _would_ have other names for the same structures… Then Anaximander waves his hand to dismiss the topic.

"But more importantly, I wish to know.." He begins, staring inquisitively at me with those impossibly red eyes. "Whom did you mistake me for? Why did you shout the word 'shadow?'"

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**THERE'S CLIFFHANGER, HANGING FROM A CLIIIIIFF!! AND THAT'S WHY HE'S CALLED CLIFF HANGERRRR!!**

**Ba ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!! Another cliffhanger! Yes! Ironic, isn't it, that I just HATE reading cliffhangers, and now I'm forcing you to do so? HA HA!! I feel so.. ALIVE!!!**

**Well, now we've all met my OC Anaximander. Ain't he sweet? O' course, he's so polite because he's kinda weird.. and foreign.. Foreign people are weird… but I like them. XD**

**Yeah, I TOTALLY came up with Nanmua in 20 minutes. My original idea was Arsenia. Then I realized it had 'arse' in it and I changed my mind. I've also been in a Skies of Arcadia kick and thought oddly of Valua. I like it when you stick N and M close together, so.. Nanmua! 8D**

**Please, read and review, and I promise, promise, PROMISE chapter three won't take so long! And if it does, you can beat me with the whole Ugly Tree. SRSLY!!11!!ONE!**

**Edit: gah! I just realized – I forgot this story was supposed to be in first person! I'm sorry if there was any confusion about the sudden POV change, I'm working on fixing it.. all I really need to do is replace mentions of Link with "I" and everything from past tense to present tense. It'll take like, an hour. I'll prolly do it just before going to bed…**

**Edit2: That took longer than it should have... ESSAYS SUCK! I should totally start a revolt against homework, maybe start a strike.. "NO BLOOD FOR GRADES!!"**

**Yeeaah, anyways… I finished editing the chapter to make is al present tense first person again. If you guys see any other problems, point them out to me, a'ight? **

**PS: I haven't even started on Chapter 3. I edited this chapter when I was SUPPOSED to be doing an essay of the effect of romantic desire on people according to **_**A Midsummer Night's Dream**_**, and it's pissing me off. D: But alas, Ch. 3 is going to take a long time, so I've already broken my previously stated promise. Therefore, you can all beat me with the ugly tree now cringe**


	4. 3: LOST SHADOW

I have returned! Annnd… you get to beat me. With the whole ugly tree. Because I lied… again. I broke my promise… I think this time it took even longer to get to this chapter than it was to get to chapter 2. I meant to write over winter break, but… well, I was introduced to the wonderful, amazing world of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. I bought all three games, beat the first two in about a week, and I'm still one the last case of the last game. It's haaaaaard!

**Anyways, I've finally started writing again. It's 9:20 pm, Pacific Time, and I'm practically pulling this out of my ass. **

**By the way, when I was updating my last time, I realized that the abbreviation for "Half a Man" is HaM. Major Lol there.**

**DISCLAIMER: Aside from my LTTP SNES cartridge, OOC and MM N64 cartridges, Ages/Seasons GB cartridges, Minish Cap, LTTP/Four Swords GBA cartridges, Collector's Edition, Windwaker, and Twilight Princess GC disks, and Phantom Hourglass DS.. er, chip, I do not own anything directly related to The Legend Of Zelda, like Link or Zelda or Navi or the prancing man with the simpering face. I do, however, own an OC in this fic.**

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Chapter 3 LOST SHADOW

I stare at the man for a minute, not knowing how to answer. Of course, why hadn't I thought he would ask this..? He was obviously curious as to why I, a complete stranger – who was incidentally the Hero of Time – grabbed him and called him Shadow in a loud voice. It was very peculiar behavior, I have to admit, and it's reasonable that he would want an explanation. In fact, now that I think of it, the man actually said 'May I invite you to my home for lunch? I'd be honored to have you over, and perhaps hear why you thought I was someone I am not.' And yet…

The man, with that simple smile still on his face, cocks his head to one side inquisitively, perhaps curious as to why I'm taking so long to answer a simple question. Only.. it isn't so simple. Why the hell can't I make words form, though?!

"Er, I.. guh… Well, you see…" I finally stammer, "I can't… really… tell you. It's a private matter between the Princess and I." Anaximander seems somewhat surprised at my answer. More surprised than I thought he would be. "The Princess has the Hero of Time running around on orders to look for.. a shadow? And among living, breathing humans..?" My answer sucked so badly.

"Ah, sorry, that's not what I meant. She didn't tell me to, it's just… she helps me with it. It's an extremely personal matter, and I…" He blinks, then furrows his brow. He probably isn't sure how to respond, and apparently remembers that he offered me lunch. Practically jumping from his chair, he rushes across the room to his small kitchen to begin cooking. Lighting a fire under the stove, he begins boiling a pot of water and chopping vegetables. Looks like a stew for lunch. Yum.

I watch him cooked, completely embarrassed at my pathetic answers to his innocent questions. It IS personal, though, but… It felt like he had a right to know, I mean, I think I might have-

Suddenly he spoke up, breaking my train of thought. "At first, you frightened me. A complete stranger, suddenly forcing me to face him, and yelling such a random thing as 'Shadow' at me." I was right, I did scare him.

"I'm sorry…" I say quietly.

"All I want to know is why you did that. I understand it's personal, but it is very odd, and because you mixed me up in it, I feel like I ought to know." The entire time he spoke, he kept his back to me as he prepared the stew. Potatoes, celery, carrots, a few onions… and now he's preparing some meat that had been slow cooking that day on his stove. That explained why I thought I smelled a hint of beef in the room…

Suddenly Navi was full of energy again and flew up right next to him. Shouting much louder than was necessary, she said, "Link shouldn't have to tell you anything! You're just a stranger, too, and just because you got a little scared doesn't mean he should tell you anything!! He's –"

"Navi, really, shut up." I interrupted. Anaximander had been extremely startled by her outburst, his eyes the size of saucers. "He's kinda right. I'm gonna tell him." I turn from the bouncing ball of blue light to look at him. "Once you're done cooking, if you don't mind."

He smiles. "No, I don't. In fact, I appreciate it. It's hard to concentrate on cooking while talking." I smile in return, and shoot Navi a 'Sit back down' look. She sighs dramatically and settles down onto the table.

After a while of me becoming steadily hungrier by the luscious smells from the pot, lunch of stew was ready. Anaximander served me a bowl before serving himself. He was a good host. After eating a few mouthfuls, I set my spoon down.

"So… " I start, and he looks at me expectantly. "I… well, I've… " I stutter, looking like a complete idiot. Again. Rubbing the back of my head while heat rises in my cheeks, I try to explain, "I've… lost my Shadow." I state simply.

The man raises an eyebrow. Then he stands up and peers around me. "I see a shadow…" He says pointedly.

"Well, it's, I mean… It's difficult to explain!" I stand up as well. I reach across the table to grab him - gently - by the arm to pull him over. "Look."

I point towards our two shadows. Mine, as it has been since that day in the water temple, was blurry and faded, and didn't seem to have a definite outline. His, however, was sharp; just like a normal shadow.

"And over here." He has a mirror hanging on his wall near his dresser, on the other side of the room. I stride over to it, and he follows me cautiously. "My reflection. It looks like… like…"

"It's fuzzy." Anaximander finishes my sentence for me. This is why I avoid mirrors, because this would probably freak people out. And he was right. My reflection, like my shadow, was blurry and distorted. It's as if I'm looking through a vibrating mirror, or that it's instead the rippling surface of water. But that isn't the case.

I look over at him, and he's just staring at my reflection, completely disturbed. "It's like… I've lost the _essence _of my shadow. I've lost that part of my soul."

He turns slowly to look at me. "But… why?" I bite my lip. "Because…" I because hesitantly, "… I killed him." This, of course, only serves to confuse him further.

"Killed… him? That… what?" His mastery of the hylian language seems to have gone awry.

"It was when I was in my quest for Hyrule, when Ganon was still King. I had to traverse through these.. temples. So I could free these six sages, whose power could seal him away." I pause, to make sure Anaximander understands. He's a bright guy, and doesn't seem confused so far.

"One temple was the Water Temple of the Zoras, those fish people." He nods. "Well, one room was… it had this illusion in it. It had ankle deep water, and looked like I was in the middle of a huuuuge, foggy, shallow lake. There were eve bits of old columns. Across the way was a building, which was where I needed to go. Halfway there was an island. And… The Evil King had cast a spell on it, and that spell split my soul in two."

Anaximander's eyes go wide. He doesn't question the possibility of this happening, though, as it was known that Ganondorf had some crazy tricks up his sleeve. I continue.

"It created a physical shadow of myself. I was forced to fight him, and he mirrored every one of my moves. I eventually defeated him. I'm… not quite sure he really died, because he simply.. disappeared. But I didn't actually see him die." I sigh, still hoping he's alive, somewhere.

"And the reason this has to do with you is.. well, he looked just like me, but.. he doesn't. He had black hair. And crazy white skin, and these red eyes." I didn't think Anaximander's eyes could get wider.

"Just like me." He said in a small voice. "Yes. Just like you."

In a daze, he trudged back to the table and took his seat, staring down at his cooling stew. "You have been searching for him, then, I'm sure." I follow suit, and sit in my seat across from him. I nod. "He was.. a part of you, and you had to get rid of him… Yet you feel he is still alive?"

I shrug and furrow my brow. "I hope he is. I… I want him back. It's so hard to keep living when I feel like this. I…" I sigh. Even though this was a tough subject, for some reason, talking about it was making me feel better. I was right, I did just need to meet someone new. Navi, who had followed my order to shut up, gazes up at me with pity in her eyes. So much pity for me from her and Zelda.. it really does make me ill.

The foreigner just watches me, listening intently. "I feel like.. I'm naked. All the time. Because I don't have something everyone else does. It's like I lost a limb, only so much _worse_." I bang my fist angrily on the table, causing Navi to jump. "Everything else in this damned world has it, but I don't. Every human, every animal, very plant, every damn rock! Hell even Ganon had his shadow! I've lost a piece of my _humanity_!!"

I seethe for a moment, until I feel something. A soft touch. Anaximander had lain one of his insanely pale hands atop my fist. It was oddly comforting. I glance up to look at him. There is no horrid pity in his eyes as he looks into mine, only empathy and caring, and the urge to help. He knows I'm not some poor little thing to be pitied, and is giving me the comfort I need.

"You hope. That is all that is needed." He begins quietly, his red eyes locked with my blue. "You can still feel. Although your shadow has disappeared, he cannot stay so forever. You are right to search. He is probably waiting for you somewhere."

"Waiting… for me?" I say, confused as hell. He smiles softly. "You forget, Hero." Forget… what?

"You are feeling miserable because you have lost your Shadow. But you must think… He must be feeling awful, because he is missing his light."

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Ta-da! Done! Ugh, that last bit seemed almost like it was supposed to be romantic, eh? Sorry about that, Ana is just a bit of a touchy-feely kinda emotional guy. He's not making any advances on Link, don't worry, this is NOT a romance fic. It never will be. Ever. So don't fret. And stop all that fidgeting.

**Anyways, please, tell me what you think! And be gentle with that ugly tree, mmkay..?**

**I'll try to update again as soon as possible, but I've learned my lesson about making promises!!**


	5. 4: LOST LIGHT

Heeeeeey! It's been a while! Yeah, I know you guys are prolly real upset about my long absence.. But seriously, I had the biggest writers block in the history of man. You wouldn't believe how many times I've started this chapter, gotten irritated with the crappiness, and threw it all away. But the curse has finally lifted and I can do this!

**No, this story was –never- on hiatus. I just have issues. D:**

**DISCLAIMER: Aside from my LTTP SNES cartridge, OOC and MM N64 cartridges, Ages/Seasons GB cartridges, Minish Cap, LTTP/Four Swords GBA cartridges, Collector's Edition, Windwaker, and Twilight Princess GC disks, and Phantom Hourglass DS.. er, chip, I do not own anything directly related to The Legend Of Zelda, like Link or Zelda or Navi or that random Goron who just **_**happens**_** to have the same name as Link in Clock Town. I do, however, own an OC in this fic.**

Chapter 4LOST LIGHT

There aren't many things in the world anymore that leave me temporarily speechless, yet this is one of them. It was just a simple, innocent observation by a man I just met; yet it really hit me.

"You are feeling miserable because you have lost your Shadow. But you must think… He must be feeling awful, because he is missing his light."

All this time, these past few years, I had been looking for my darkness so that _I_ could feel complete, yet.. I never even thought about how _he_ must have felt about it all.

I look at Anaximander, open my mouth to say something, and then close it again. What could I really say? The man had noticed something right away that me, Zelda, Navi, nor anyone else had even considered thinking about.

"I…" I begin, my voice cracking. I stop to clear my throat. No need to sound pathetic. "I've been so… selfish.."

Immediately the pale man frowns and stands up. "Don't you even think that, Hero!" I look up in surprise. He quickly comes around the table to put a hand on each of my shoulders.

"Don't you think for a moment that you have been selfish!" He says sternly. "You have been through many difficult situations, all for hundreds of people in and around Hyrule that you do not even know!" His expression softens, and the grip that had slowly been tightening on my shoulders loosens.

"The Hero of Time deserves to think only of himself now and then. You just wanted to feel whole again, and had difficulty thinking outside that. There is so selfishness in that."

Once again, He's right. How is it that such a stranger knows so much? "Is everyone in your country this perceptive?" I ask with a smile. He mirrors mine with his own. "That would be nice, wouldn't it?" The both of us share in a small laugh. Navi clears her throat. Back to business…

Anaximander takes the cue before I do. "So how about this.. Instead of looking for him where you think he may be then.." He pauses, probably considering how to word this in Hylian. I wait.

"… You should try to think like him. Where would _he_ think to go? Where would your darkness go to hide?"

Suddenly Navi speaks up, but not to nag for once. "Why would he be hiding, though?" Again, the pale man has to think of the words to use.

"Pretend you are him for a moment. You are wrenched away from the body you share with your light and forced to fight him. You are inevitable defeated. You failed the evil king, and were defeated by your light. You probably feel there is no place in Hyrule for you, so you flee." He stops; to let this all sink in before continuing.

"Now, as well as being unwanted, you are a darkness without a light. Whereas the Hero, being the light, can exist anywhere, Darkness can only exist in darkness. You cannot go out in sunlight, and must travel at night. Also, according to what I have been told, you look very odd, not like any other Hylian. Where would someone who looks like you go without sticking out..?"

I think about everything Anaximander had just said. Navi mumbles "A cave or dark place… in…" Then it hits me.

"He's.. he's in Nanmua?!"

Anaximander nods, finally sitting back down. "That's the only logical explanation. He would fit right in with my people. With our skin, we are sensitive to light, and Nanmua often has thick cloud cover, as well as thick morning and evening fog. It is a darker, chillier country than Hyrule. It's the perfect place for a lost darkness to retreat in peace. Aside from not knowing the language, he probably fits right in with the locals."

I can't help but grin and stand up. "I.. I finally know where he is! This… this is fantastic!" Navi swirls around me, giggling in delight. "I.. I should go there right away to look for him!" Immediately, the other man interrupts me. "Slow down, Hero!" He chuckles.

"But.. why?" I ask. I probably use the puppy dog eyes. "Well for one, we still haven't eaten. We need new bowls of stew by now.." He's right, of course. Cold stew is gross. "Also, It is a long hike around Death Mountain to Nanmua. You'll need to stock up, and get plenty of rest." He smiles kindly.

I can't stop myself from hugging the man. "You're right, of course, but I can't get ready really quick. I should be ready to set out by tomorrow morning." He and I share a grin.

"Then, hero, sit down and enjoy a hot meal. Then go buy your supplies, and have a nice, long rest at the inn. And while we eat tonight, I can tell you some directions to my homeland." He ponders for a second as he empties our bowls and refills them with fresh, warm stew from the still simmering pot. "Also, if you'd like, I can make you a big breakfast tomorrow, and give you some final words of encouragement."

I smile as we sit back down. "Yeah." I say, before eating a spoonful of the stew. "I'd really like that."

That stew was really awesome.

Hurray! I did it! A new chapter! By the way, the next chapter, chapter 5, is the last chapter of this fic.

**But before you cry, scream, or claw my eyes out, just let me tell you that the end of this fic isn't the end of the story. CAN I SAY SEQUEL?!**

**But also, I need ideas! Leave comments for things you'd like to see in the sequel, of Link's adventure in Nanmua! A plot twist, and epic battle, romance, a funny? Just let me know, and I'll try and fit it in! :D**

**Until next time.. Seeya!**

**Also, I already have loads of inspiration for the next chapter, so it should not take as long. I hope.**


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